Okay, so this is a snippet of a story I'm thinking about writing. Female OC is overdone, I know, but I'm not planning on pairing her with Sam or Dean so hopefully it won't be too clichéd.
This extract is from quite far on in the storyline, but I just wanted a little feedback if anyone's willing.
Enjoy.
CF x
I approached it cautiously. To be honest, despite everyone calling it a cage all this time I didn't expect it to actually look like a cage, but it did.
A large cage, maybe 10 meters by 10 meters, suspended over an abyss, with only a thin bridge reaching across to it.
The bars were thick, and close together so from this distance it was difficult to see inside, I'd have to get closer.
I was at the very bottom level of hell, I'd had to sneak and fight my way through the pit to get here. My limbs ached, I was covered in blood and sweat and I must have looked horrendous, at the moment I didn't care.
Sure, I'd had a reason for coming down here, a decent one too. One that didn't make me feel guilty, or have Dean giving me that disappointed look.
But it wasn't the only reason.
Deep down in the depths of me, where I'd tried to hide it with causes and noble fights for free will and peace on earth and all that. There buried deep beneath my own stubborn pride was the feeling that haunted me at night,
I'd missed him.
I was closer now, close enough to see shapes moving behind the bars, but I still had to cross that bridge.
I didn't want to.
The soldier in me, the one Castiel had dragged to the surface and taught to fight just didn't like the situation.
It was too exposed; any demon looking down would see me crossing that bridge and would know something was amiss.
Soon Sam would have got Bobby out and the alarm bells would be ringing, and to be honest, I really didn't want to get caught.
I gritted my teeth; I had to get across that bridge and the sooner the better. Safer now than after the alarm had been raised.
I tensed up and sprang.
Running at full tilt across a decidedly narrow bridge was more difficult than I anticipated, twice I nearly fell and I had a feeling my handy teleportation wouldn't work in hell.
Still, I made it across in one piece and by the time I'd reached the other side the cage's occupants had noticed their visitor.
"You…" One of them hissed at me.
There were three figures in the cage; two were standing while one was slumped on the floor facing me.
Any interest I had in Michaels greeting disappeared when I focused on the collapsed figure.
"Adam?" My voice was less than a whisper as I recognised him.
"Oh God, Adam!" I rushed forward feeling sick to my stomach.
All this time and I never thought, I never even considered Adam. Even when Cas brought Sam back I didn't spare a thought for their half-brother, and apparently, nor had anyone else.
I crouched down to examine him, he didn't appear hurt, simply unconscious which I suppose was a little worrying.
"And here was me thinking you'd come to visit little old me."
The voice slid over me like a caress and finally I looked up and fixed my eyes on the last occupant of the cage.
"Lucifer."
"Hello Lia."
He looked different, I don't know why I thought he'd look like his old vessel, I just did. The change was slightly startling.
He looked younger than I would have imagined him. Early twenties at the oldest with dark hair falling in waves around his pale face.
His body was bulky, but seemingly all muscle and from his back flowed three sets of beautiful wings.
He was dressed in slacks and a plain button down over a t-shirt just like his old vessel, he even sounded like he used to, but this was not a vessel I was seeing. This was his Grace, or at least how he'd chosen to manifest it.
"What are you doing here Ophelia?"
The way he spoke my name sent shivers down my spine.
I'd never admit it, not even under torture, but God I'd missed him.
"I have some questions, I was hoping you'd answer them."
"Why would we do that?" Came the sharp retort from Michael.
He too looked different, almost a mirror of his younger brother but slightly taller, and wearing a charcoal suit.
"Who said I was asking you darling?" I snarked at him, to say we didn't get along when he was topside was an understatement. You had to expect at least a little petty squabbling.
"Oh come on do you really think Luci-"
"Enough Michael." Lucifer interrupted him.
"I can speak with you for the rest of eternity, locked together in this little box. Lia here is a novelty, but he does have a point Ophelia, after you worked so hard to get us locked up in here, why should I tell you anything?"
I smirked at him. But inside I felt like someone was scooping out all of my good feelings with an ice cream scoop. He didn't seem at all pleased to see me, he just seemed tired.
I mentally ground my teeth, I wasn't used to this level of uncontrolled emotion, it was beginning to annoy me.
Back to the matter at hand.
"Simple. Because Crowley is King of Hell. This being the same Crowley who gave the Winchesters The Colt so they could try and kill you, and then later helped them acquire the last two rings from Death and Pestilence."
I sat down on the hot stone, diplomacy was always easier when I was sat down. Lucifer followed suit with a sigh, sitting directly in front of me so we were almost eye to eye.
"I'm listening Lia."
I grinned at him.
"I know."
Michael had slunk to the back of the cage to sulk.
"Alright, question number 1: We have learnt recently of the existence of God's tablets which contain the word of God. How many are there?"
"I fail to see how this has anything to do with Crowley."
To be honest I was expecting this to go better, my ego was beginning to get bruised.
"We found the Leviathan tablet, used the information on it to kill the big head honcho-"
"Wait." He interrupted me again.
"Who let out the Leviathan?"
"Aah. Well technically it was Castiel, but Crowley had a hand in it too."
"Castiel, the Winchester's little pet, why am I not surprised?"
"He's not their pet! But anyway, then Crowley suddenly has a Demon tablet and Cas now has the Angel tablet, and frankly some of the things written on the tablets are getting me worried and so I'm wondering if there's a Heathen tablet and if so, should I be scared?"
He examined me a moment before rolling his eyes, he really did seem tired.
"As far as I know God made four tablets, Angel, Demon, Leviathan and Human, but there may be more. I'd ask Michael but he'd just refuse to help."
I smiled at him, he just looked at me.
"Okay. Question number 2: Who is Naomi?"
He frowned at me.
"Why do you know that name Lia?"
He looked slightly angry.
"She was controlling Cas, at least that's what we think was happening, she tried to get him to kill Dean-"
"Stay away from Naomi Lia! She may be a decorated Bureaucrat, but with Raphael gone, yes Lia I noticed my brother dying, chances are she's controlling a fair amount of the Host. She's ruthless, ambitious and she doesn't care how cute or funny you may be. You will not be able to charm her out of hurting you."
I was slightly surprised, after all, I'd gone toe to toe with him and his brothers before, you wouldn't think he'd get so protective over some pesky bureaucrat.
"I can't protect you from in here little Lia, so do try and be careful."
The tired tone was back.
"Okay, question number 3: This one's more of a request than anything else, what did you do with the Colt after Dean tried to kill you with it?"
He raised an eyebrow at me.
"Now now Lia, just what are you planning on killing?"
I shuffled slightly.
"Nothing specifically. It's just, it seems like every day we meet something new that can't be killed and I'd rather like to be ready."
He stared at me.
"And the real reason is?"
Damn. I'm usually so good at lying, why couldn't I pull it off? It's not like it's the first time I'd lied to the arch angel.
Considering my options I decided to go with a rarely utilised resource available to me. I told him the truth.
"We met one of your Knights of Hell, if she ever comes back I'd like to have something to put her down with….. Also, I'd rather like to be able to shoot angels, the sword fighting thing isn't my greatest strength."
He laughed at me for the first time since this meeting started. His real laugh. That deep one that sounded like chocolate and war horns mixed together. And I was so relieved to hear it because I was really starting to worry that helping to shut him in the cage had made him hate me.
I know what you're thinking; surely shutting him in the cage was bound to make him hate me, but to be honest we always knew we were on different sides. He knew that it didn't matter what happened between us, if the chance ever came to stop him I'd take it in a heartbeat, no matter what the consequences for him. And we just tried to ignore it, as best we could.
He smiled at me.
"Little Lia, why would I give you The Colt so you can shoot one of my favourite demons?"
I flashed a smile at him.
"Because Crowley is right. If you hate humans, what esteem could you possibly have for demons? And if this one is the worst of the worst, then I'd bet you actually like her the least. After all, from what I've heard she's a whiney little brat who thinks she's entitled to everything."
He grinned again and leaned forward.
"Which particular Knight are we talking about here Ophelia?" Again he took my name and made it sound like a caress causing me to shiver and lose track of my thoughts.
"Urm-well, sorry, it's Abaddon, her name was Abaddon."
He continued smiling at me, mocking me with his eyes.
"Ah yes Abadddon. Self-entitled and whiney? A fairly fitting description I suppose, but I did spend some unbelievable nights with her."
I bristled. Was he trying to play me? Was this where I was supposed to get all jealous and territorial?
Good Luck.
True I could feel the stirrings of jealousy in my gut, but I'd been playing this game too long to let it affect my poker face.
"I'm sure you enjoyed them, so, the Colt, are you going to tell me where it is or not?"
His mocking grin twisted into something I didn't recognise, his eyes swirling with an emotion I didn't understand.
"And what do I get in return?"
I glared at him.
"Nothing, you know I can't give you anything, it is not within my power to release you from this cage, nor would I if I could. I also cannot pass anything through the bars to you. I cannot give you anything."
He grinned at me, a shark toothed grin.
"There's one thing you can give me."
"Oh yeah, what's that?"
"Revenge."
"I'm not hurting Sam or Dean."
"I'm not asking you to. Those two did what was in their nature, what they were always expected to do, they defeated the supernatural threat. No, I want the traitor. Kill Crowley for me little Lia and we will talk about the Colt."
I glared at him again.
It's not that I particularly like Crowley, well that's not true, I did like him a little, he had a great sense of humour, but the main issue was, Crowley was just so damned useful.
Whenever we've had a mutual threat Crowley has been invaluable, his abilities, his resources, more often than not they'd saved our hides. I doubted the next King of Hell would be quite so diplomatic, or as intelligent.
Plus Crowley was never cruel just for the sake of it, there was always an agenda, always a plan, and that's the sort of person I could do business with. And God knows I would always need to do business with the King of Hell.
I sighed.
"No deal. Crowley is too useful, sure he's being a Dick now but next time we're dealing with some Big Bad, you can bet your ass I want Crowley on my side."
He snarled at me.
"Big Bad? Is that all I am Ophelia, just another monster for you and your precious Winchesters to cross off the list? ANSWER ME!"
I skittered back startled, the last time he'd been truly angry at me he'd thrown me bodily into a motel wall and crushed every bone in my body. Even with the bars between us I was scared.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm down and rested his head back against the bars.
"I'm sorry Lia, I didn't mean to scare you. Come back."
A little nervous I shuffled forward until we were inches from each other.
"Was there a question 4 Lia?"
"Is there a way out of hell I can use? I'm fairly sure I've missed my ride."
He laughed again, but this time it was hollow.
"You came down here for a few meaningless answers without a certain way back? That's a little reckless even for you."
I started to retort but he cut me off.
"Back over the bridge, two corridors down, take a left, room 237b, it's a portal, takes you out in the middle of the North Sea so prepare to get wet."
I nodded.
"Thank-you."
I began to get up.
"Ophelia."
I looked at him.
"Why did you come?"
Because I missed you
"For answers."
"No Lia, why did you really come?"
Because I missed you.
"Because I'm lost, too many things are happening and I don't understand any of them. Too many people are dead. Too many friends, and suddenly I find myself trying to count the number of people I've befriended since I woke up that aren't dead or have betrayed me horrifically and you know what the count is? One. Just Sammy. I'm so tired of it all. But most of all I'm tired of fighting with the people that I love, it all seems so pointless."
I looked him in the eyes.
"So yes, I came for answers, I just didn't ask all of the questions."
There she is. My little liar is finally coming out to play.
He looked at my with a guarded look on his face.
"Ophelia I-" His expression turned to surprise and then rage, his eyes focusing on something behind me.
I went to turn when a heavy arm grabbed me around the neck pinning me to a thick, hard body.
Assuming it was just a demon from the pit Castiels training kicked in. I jerked backwards, my head colliding hard with the demons nose. In its moment of distraction I summoned magic, running it down my arm in ripples.
This was just instinct, the way I would fight on earth; I didn't stop to wonder if I should change my tactics for fighting in hell. I just plunged my arm into the meatsuits chest and ripped out the demon.
Normally it would just fly off and find another body but of course we were in hell, it didn't need to, instead it collided hard with me, knocking me to the floor where two other pairs of hands wrapped around my arms and slammed me against the cage bars, holding me in place.
I waited for my vision to settle and wasn't pleased with the picture when it did.
Crowley stood before me, immaculate as always in the black suit and coat slapping his gloves together in his palm.
"Well hello love."
He was flanked by yet another two demons who both grinned lecherously at me.
He gestured around.
"So nice of you to come and visit us in our humble abode."
Behind me I could hear Lucifer snarling.
"You traitorous coward Crowley! When I get out-"
Crowley cut him off.
"Blah Blah Blah, when you get out you're going to rip me to shreds, or something equally original right? Well News Flash! You're not getting out! Ever! Period! So SHUT IT."
Now, I'm not sure if anyone had ever told Lucifer to shut it before, maybe Dean at some point, or even Gabriel, but he certainly wasn't used to it. He immediately began shouting an interesting mix of threats and insults which had Crowley simply rolling his eyes.
"I think we've heard quite enough from the Arch Angel for today. Boys?"
We disappeared in a flash and ended up in a rather spacious office, all decorated in dark wood and black upholstery.
Bored of playing captive I decided to try my luck.
Considering my teleportation was apparently offline I decided to go good old fashioned.
Summoning the magic again I sent a shockwave down my arms blasting the two demons away from me. I whirled around and planted my foot in the nearest demons face.
Charging a blast of magic in my hand I waited for one of them to charge at me before I flung it at them, running the other way and tackling two more of them.
After breaking both arms of one of the demons, I received a particularly vicious blow to the face and while I was still slightly dazed Crowley snuck up behind me and emptied a syringe in my neck.
"Ah, Fuck! What the hell was that Crowley?" I glared at him.
He chuckled,
"I believe you're familiar with it Love, Lucifer used it against you once from what I hear."
One hand on my neck I backed away.
"Oh Shit!"
I could already feel it working, moving through my veins and freezing the magic it found there.
"That's right Darling, you're all magic-less, now why don't you come and tell me what you and Luci were chatting about."
"Go to Hell Crowley."
He gave me a bemused smile and gestured around the room.
Of course we were already in hell. The dick.
I decided to try a different track.
"Come now Crowley, is this any way to treat your friends?"
He raised an eyebrow and poured himself a glass of scotch.
"Oh this is going to be good, since when have we been friends Love?"
I smiled at him. My special smile, the one I reserved for negotiations.
"Of come on, after everything we've been through together. Stopping Lucifer, being screwed over by Cas, killing Dick. Now I can understand why you might not consider my boys to be friends, their attitude leaves a lot to be desired, but I've always been good to you Crowley. In what way aren't we friends?"
He swirled the scotch in his glass and gestured to the seat on the other side of his desk. I moved over to it ever mindful of the other demons watching us.
"Now this is why I like you Ophelia. You're an ends justify the means girl. You'll deal with anyone and you'll do it happily as long as it all works out in the end. But here's the thing, the one concept you can't seem to grasp. Betrayal."
"Because let's say I admit we're friends. Best friends in fact, right now it's in my best interest to find out what you and Lucifer were chatting about. So if you think for a moment I will hesitate to torture it out of you then you are dead wrong! After all, the ends justify the means."
I dropped the smile, adopting instead a steely expression that could make grown men cry.
I leaned forward over the table towards Crowley and locked my eyes to his.
"Torture huh? Bring it you little bitch."
An expression crossed his face for a moment that I didn't recognise it wasn't anger or frustration or even admiration but for some reason it sent a chill down my spine.
"Get out!" He snapped at his demons and they all filed out reluctantly, disappointed to miss the show.
He stood again, going over to the liquor cabinet and pouring himself another glass of scotch.
"It seems to me Love that you've forgotten the gravity of the situation you've got no power remember? No ability to fight."
"I haven't forgotten, I remember the last time I was dosed well enough, I may not be able to fight but I retain my ability to heal. You want to kill me you'll have to find my blade, and good luck with that because nobody's got a damned clue where to look."
I'm not naïve, I knew torture was coming but I was confident that I could endure anything he threw at me. It's not that I have an overly large pain threshold or anything, it's just thanks to what I am, and the way I can leave my body I just don't feel pain like most people unless it caught me by surprise.
"Who said anything about killing you?" He'd stood up now, and was stalking around the desk towards me.
"You want to know why you attract the bad guys Love?" He was towering over me where I sat in my chair but I refused to cower like some little girl.
"Enlighten me."
"It's the power Darling. All that power in one little body. The entire Council of Heathen all rammed into a small California girl, they want to possess it, claim it, use it."
I frowned at him, I'd never really considered it like that before.
"And then of course you flirt and make deals and run around with the Winchesters, sometimes it seems like you've betrayed them only for it to be some part of an elaborate plan that all works out in their favour and you know something Love? IT'S DAMNED FRUSTRATING!"
He slammed his hand down on the desk. Years of running around with Sam and Dean where all that prevented me from flinching.
"So why don't you do us all a favour and pick a side?"
I glared up at him.
"Oh Crowley, I picked a side a long time ago, and I have never strayed from it, not once. Besides I thought this was what you liked about me."
I flashed him a grin. His scowl deepened.
"Do not try and tease me little girl, you are way out of your league."
"Really? The last surviving member of the Council of Heathen against one measly Crossroads Demon? I think most people would say it was you who was out of their league Crowley."
"I am the King of Hell! And you are a little baby Heathen with no magic so how about you learn some RESPECT!"
I jumped to my feet, knocking my chair to the floor.
"Respect? I wasn't aware it was a concept you grasped Crowley. Was that respect you were showing to Lucifer earlier? Because it-"
His expression turned thunderous at my mention of Lucifer.
He grabbed me by the throat and slammed me back against his desk, the back of my head colliding hard with the dark wood.
I instinctively reached for my magic to blast him off but got nothing for my troubles besides a sharp pain between my eyes.
"Lucifer? Ah yes, because it was Lucifer who got the closest wasn't it Love? The first one to pry your pretty little legs open and get a taste of that power. But you'd never fight for him would you? Not while he was wearing Sammy to the apocalypse party."
I bucked against him furiously, he was pushing things too far. Any further and we'd cross a line into something I couldn't forgive him for.
"What no witty retort?"
I growled at him.
"Let me up Crowley or so help me God-"
"What? You'll do what?"
I simply glared at him.
"That's what I thought. Now then, why don't you tell me what you went to see Lucifer for and then this meeting doesn't have to get any less pleasant."
"Less pleasant? By all means bring on the torture; it won't do you much good."
He smiled at me, a smug smile like he knew something I didn't. It made me nervous.
"Well Love, little birdies tell me that pain will get me next to nowhere, but there's more than one type of torture."
I raised an eyebrow at him.
He yanked me off his desk by the neck and carted me out of his study.
"I can walk you know."
"I know." Was the only reply I got.
He dragged me up the unnecessarily large staircase and into what appeared to be his bedroom.
I began to panic.
He threw me to the floor but I rolled on impact settling into a fighting crouch and hissing at him.
"Ooh, scary." He mocked me.
With a gesture of his hand he slammed me against the wall, pinning my arms above my head.
I was worried now, very very worried.
I pulled my poker face back up.
"Last chance Crowley, let me down and we'll stay friends."
He laughed at me.
"Friends? Remind me why I need you for a friend."
"Because the world will go to shit again it always does. And next time you want my boys to help you save it you're going to need me to plead your case and you fucking know it. So let me down Crowley!"
He just smiled at me.
"Ends justify the means, remember Love? You'll plead my case anyway if they really need my help. So what's there really to stop me doing this?"
He snapped his fingers.
The first thing I noticed was that I was clean, the filth I'd gathered fighting my way through The Pit had disappeared.
The second thing I noticed was that my clothes had vanished. I was left in just my bra and panties.
For a moment I was stunned.
Then I was furious.
"CROWLEY!"
He laughed at me again.
"Like I said, you've obviously forgotten the gravity of your situation here Love."
"You Bastard Crowley."
He grinned and gestured to himself.
"Demon. Remember?"
"So then, back to the question at hand, what were you talking to Lucifer about?"
"Go fuck yourself Crowley."
"Now why would I do that when you're strung up on my wall for me like this?"
I narrowed my eyes at him.
He wouldn't. Crowley was a coward at the best of times. He wouldn't risk it, wouldn't risk my wrath when I finally got free.
"You're bluffing."
There was no doubt in my voice.
"Perhaps. Okay, so maybe I wouldn't go that far Love, but I can still make you talk, after all, I'm very skilled with my fingers."
I locked eyes with him, praying he couldn't see the panic rising in me.
"Bite Me."
"Ooooh, nice idea."
So, feedback on the idea would be much appreciated. Thanks Guys!
CF x